Saturday, August 12, 2017

Linguine con le Vongole & A Grilled Crimson Sea Bream

Finally had some time to think about cooking and actually get down to it. Tonight, the man wanted to do linguine con le vongole. I wanted to lightly grill a fish. At some point, we didn't want to eat pasta or have a whole fish at a restaurant when we can do it equally well, if not better.

Popped out to Emporium Shokuhin to get the seafood. It carries good quality stuff that we can't fault, so we shop there rather often. They usually have fresh littleneck clams in stock. There was a full tank of it when we turned up that morning at 10.45am. Lugged home a good 2kg of clams. Stared at the fish counter. The crimson sea bream (チダイ) looked so good, so I took one home. #ImpieCooks2017

The man and I separately went about prepping our chosen dish. Soaking the clams in salt water and cornmeal (in the fridge) works best for us. The combination persuade the clams to give up all remnant sand and grit. All that is needed to be done, is to brush and rinse them out before they go into the steamer. The man steams his clams before giving it a final toss with the pasta.

The fish was perfect. Didn't need to do much. Lightly seasoned it with olive oil, salt and pepper, rosemary, thyme and lemon. Grilled it in the oven on high heat for 18 minutes, and it was all gorgeously done. With fish this fresh, the stomach was expectedly the tastiest part. Dinner was immensely satisfying. Just two items very well cooked. There's something therapeutic about using the afternoon to leisurely prepare dinner. If only we could do this more often.

Notion

“A large, but not particularly impressive, book. Other books in the University's libraries had covers inlaid with rare jewels and fascinating wood, or bound with dragon skin. This one was just a rather tatty leather. It looked the sort of book described in library catalogues as 'slightly foxed', although it would be more honest to admit that it looked as though it had been badgered, wolved and possibly beared as well.
Metal clasps held it shut. They weren't decorated, they were just very heavy – like the chain, which didn't so much attach the book to the lectern as tether it.
They looked like the work of someone who had a pretty definite aim in mind, and who had spent most of his life making training harness for elephants.” ~ The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett